Non Profit set up ...

[Guest]

Anyone here with experience ?

Mahalo.
aloha,
pog

[TomK]

Not here, but a few months ago Hawaii Public Radio spent quite a lot of time on this including some interviews with some non-profit experts. If it'll help I can try and dig out some info but it might take a few days. It was interesting stuff and it seems there are people out there willing to help if you're serious about this.

Tom
http://apacificview.blogspot.com/

[Carey]

Mainland had a 501C3 - not hard, and the SBA did offer assistance. IRS page to get you started:
http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/Exemption-Requirements-Section-501©(3)-Organizations

The hyperlink was shortened, copy the line all the way through "Organizations"

For grant writing here, I established a partnership with BIRC&D :
http://www.bigislandrcd.org/home.html

[dmbwest]

email sent ...

p.out

[Rene Siracusa]

Start out at State level. Go on line to the Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs on the State website, then to Business Registration Division. Find application form for Domestic NonProfit. Fill out and submit. There is a $20 or $25 filing fee, I believe.

At the IRS offlice in Hilo,at the Hilo Lagoon Center, or at www.IRS.gov, you can get form 1023? or 1083? (can't remember the number exactly), which is the application for a nonprofit. There is also an instruction booklet. Don't let the sheer number of pages discourage you, because you will find that some sections are not applicable at all (such as schools or hospitals or churches). Then just take it one line at a time and plow through it. The instruction booklet also takes it in order, so you can work the two together.

Don't expect a fast response, because they are backed up by about a year. Good luck!

[dmbwest]

Thanks Guys,

Learned real quick this morning about paperwork ...LOL !

aloha,
pog

[Rob Tucker]

There are bout 27 kinds of non-profits recognized by the IRS. Most common is the 501c3 which is a charitable non profit. 501c3s have to stay away from politics and not donate to political causes. Next most common is a 501c4 which is a community lobbying type group. Friends of Puna's Future (www.fopf.org) is such a community lobbying group. 501c4s can do poltical work. The 501c4 format has been pretty abused by large money in the last election.

Others are things like homeowner associations, credit unions, etc.

Rene is right. Start with the state, move on to the feds. State can take a few minutes or hours. Feds can take a few months.

[Seeb]

its going to cost you $500 a year for the fee

[Carey]

Another thing to keep in mind....(this was very important in my case) any equipment bought by a 501C3 must stay within the charitable realm, so if you want to move & have equipment (mine was a training groups with a lot of equipment, including vehicles & trailer) & discover that moving the 501C3 equipment here was WHAT?????HOW MUCH????? You will need to donate or find another to take over the oversite of the charitable equipment.... sounds easy...but may not be as easy as it sounds....

[Rene Siracusa]

Carey's right about that. The IRS requires that your bylaws have a dissolution clause that reads: "Upon dissolution of the organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501©(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose."

So it's not only equipment - it's ALL assets. Your bylaws can go on to detail if you want certain percentages or items to go to different entities. If they go to a nonprofit named in your bylaws, that nonprofit has to have the same or similar or overlapping exempt purpose. If it goes to a government agency, you can specify an agency that has a similar kuleana as your nonprofit.

Forgot to mention: you should have your bylaws prior to applying for the State Domestic Nonprofit status.